**XANDER**

"What I'm about to do would hurt more than any type of pain that you have felt in your entire life. Hardin, get a lot of dry wood." She instructed the old man's son and he nodded in affirmation. To gather the wood wasn't that hard, after all, we were in the center of the thick forest.


"Does anyone have a rope?" She questioned and the old man produced it from the little pile of things in his bag.

"What do you need a rope for?" I questioned as I stared at her suspiciously. First woods, now rope. It wasn't like we were about to perform some kind of exorcism. I don't trust this woman.

"Firstly, lower the base in your voice when you talk to me. I accept the fact that you're an alpha and it's natural for you to be so demanding and authoritative but make me an exception. Also, you would need a great deal of trust in me if you want that wound to be healed." She said and I rolled my eyes. Crazy woman! I can't handle her.


"Alright, Xander. Lean on the tree." She pointed and I hesitated for a second before moving up to the tree and did as she said. I think she was purposely omitting the use of Alpha, if that made her feel any better then there was no use in stopping her.

"Bind his hands." She commanded, referring to the young boys and we all stared at her especially me with a confused stare.


"Why do they need to bind my hands?" I questioned and she sighed.

"Like I said, it would be more painful than anything you've ever felt, very excruciating and I don't want you going berserk in any way and try to harm anyone. I wouldn't have the energy to stop you." I smiled at the way she just turned my words against me and then nodded.

They binded my hands and she began gathering some herbs, grinding them in her palm as her red blazing eyes came into view. An essence flame twirled on her fingers and she looked like she had ascended into a world that was way higher than ours. As I stared at her, I just couldn't understand it. I mean the decision of the moon goddess to make Alpha's the leaders.

Volana's were far better in abilities and no matter how much it hurts for me to let my pride down and accept to state it, I had to accept the fact that they were better.

They were better fighters with better skills and their magic was a plus.

"Fine then, bind me." They binded my hands to the tree as she continued harnessing her magic while adding a bit of the essence flame to the herbs like she was burning them up. It's nothing I can explain.

But what I could explain was the process I could see with my eyes, she transferred the tiny drops of liquid from the herbs into a little vessel while she burned up the vessel—not like burning literally but heating it up.

The essence flame disappeared and her eyes went back to normal as she held the vessel in one hand and the chaff of the herbs in the other. She walked to my side while holding a stern look and dropped the vessel on the ground as she picked up a dry wood.

"Open your mouth." It felt weird to take orders from anyone but I had to do as she instructed for Leila, to save Leila.

I opened my mouth and she placed the stick horizontally in my mouth and I closed my mouth. I really don't understand the use of this but you can't question what you don't know, you just shut the hell up and watch.

She torn open the shirt I had on and examined the bruise and with one slick move, she added tiny bits of the herbs into the wound.

I felt nothing.....just a sting.

"Hala." My wolf cried out as the line finally registered in my nerves.

"Owwwwwwwww." I howled as I shook violently but the rope kept me in place. My Fangs came into view and in no time I had bitten off the stick in an attempt to ease the pain.

"That's why the stick was needed, you would need something to bite on." She snickered as she replaced stick with another.

"No need to howl out much, the pain would ease in few minutes. You're an Alpha, isn't crying degrading?" She questioned as I shot her a hard glare. My three companions that consisted of the old man and his two sons bowed their head unable to meet my eye and I knew instantly without a soothsayer that my wolf had peaked.

Finally! It was working!

The poison that I had been shot with made it impossible for me to shift and communicate properly with my wolf, I could only sense my surroundings but nothing more than that.

"I'm going to apply it to your arms and legs now, so don't Claw me." She sneered as she applied them and the pain ran down my arm directly to my brain. I shook violently and I was sure that the rope would go off any time soon if the pain doesn't die down.

It stopped almost as soon as it started and I couldn't feel any more pain like water had been poured on me.

"Here, drink this." She offered the vessel after untying and I gulped it down immediately.

"Now, Alpha Xander. I've done my part in healing you, you must now stop this Antonio and save the clan."

That wasn't a request, it was something that I had to do. Not for them though but for myself, I needed to hurry back because with every passing minute my mate was one step closer to been eliminated.

I began walking back but then paused:

"Hera," she swerved and stared at me.

"Thank you. Volana's are indeed magnificent and the priestess made a pretty bad decision making Alphas the leaders but what can we do? She already made the choice." Her lips broke into a smile as I shifted to my wolf form as I and nature became one.

My companions shifted into their wolf forms too and began sprinting.

The journey just began.